Ruthin

There is something magical about this little town. It’s something to do with the way all the streets seem to lead back to hilltop St Peter’s Square – surely one of Britain’s loveliest places. Something to do with the iconic buildings that break the skyline as you move around the town: the battlements of Ruthin Castle, the tower of Ruthin Gaol, the spire of St Peter’s Church. Something about the sudden spectacular views of surrounding countryside. But Ruthin isn’t just an architectural time capsule. It’s a real market town that’s still buzzing in the 21st century.

Writer and former National Trust chairman Simon Jenkins describes the town as “the most charming small town in Wales”. From the water meadows of Cae Ddol to the architecture of the oldest timbered town house in Wales to the strikingly contemporary award-winning craft centre to the shops, pubs and restaurants the market town really has something for every taste.